September 27, 2010

"Sisters of Avalon" and the virtual "Sisters of the KYoMooN"

Tuesday 1.30PM I have been invited to perform "Sisters of the KyoMooN" at the Womens Rights Evening on the Italian SIM http://slurl.com/secondlife/Siena/127/118/35 in the virtual world of Second Life
Sandy Demina asked me to explain the meaning of the song so here goes . . .
Thanks to her and all others who work for womens rights.
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"Sisters of Avalon" was a song written with Cyndi Lauper who performs it in concert and on the album "Sisters of Avalon"
For my virtual on line performances I perform it instrumentally as Sisters of the KyoMooN

It is a song about sisterhood -
How when a woman cries
we can all feel her pain
How we are all connected
globally

In 1994 Cyndi and I were on tour writing songs and talking about various books we were reading
I was fascinated with The White Goddess by Robert Graves and the 21 lessons of Merlyn and Cyndi was reading Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The power of women was a very evident subject in both books, steeped in rich mythology, legends and allegories.

We took the symbolism of the Sisters of Avalon to mean womankind
For us it was all about the symbolism not the historical accuracy

The chant in this song is very powerful
It is the sound of empowerment
a sound of voices singing all over the world
A mystical thread that sews us together
into a quilt of many colours
We are all sisters dancing . . .

Cyndi and I were also inspired by a news report played over and over on CNN about a 10 year old girl in Egypt being circumcised
Women all over the world felt her pain, heard her screams and helplessly shuddered in empathy.

We sing and play this song for her and all women who have no voice
and celebrate the ones who do

Sisters of Avalon

Felt someone calling me in the howling of the wind.
I heard the reflection of a sound echoing through my skin
and a distant drum rumbling under ground
gently guides me on
through my wild heart
whispering to me
the Sisters Of Avalon

She is awakening in dark swells and mystery.
Unbridled night mares powerful and running free.
You could still hear her cries reverberating through the trees
for the trampled flowers
the daughters of Eve
the Sisters of Avalon

They brought her in in a new white dress
but the stain left an ache on her mother's breast.
Now all that's left are the ghostly steps from a distant corridor.

And a distant drum rumbling under ground
gently guides me on
through my wild heart
whispering to me
the Sisters Of Avalon.
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Footnote
In the mists and legends of time the Sisters were variously portrayed as -
the ones who received Arthur onto the island
a group of druid priestesses who fought the Romans
who hung red lanterns outside their homes to show they were the powerful ones
wore black and were revered in the matriarchal society of the early Celts
and were vilified by the church as it tried to take control of the pagan religions.

Over the years their powers were driven underground but it still rumbles through the caverns of the earth.
I believe women, if they listen, can still feel it as they walk together.

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